Rudder for boats



(No Model.)

L. M. THOMAS.

RUDDER FOR BOATS.

No. 580,237. Patented Apr. 6, 1897.

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LEVI M. THOMAS, OF PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA.

RUDDER FOR BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 580,237, dated April 6,1897.

Application filed May 4, 1896. Serial No. 590,186. (No model.)

T0 aZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEVI M. THOMAS, of Punta Gorda, in the county of DeSoto and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Rudder forBoats, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to an improvement in rudders especially adapted forsloops and vessels of a similar class, or for small boats; and theobject of the invention is to provide a rudder in which each and everypart connected therewith will be strong, durable, and simple inconstruction and may be replaced when damaged.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the rudder-stock thatthe blade will be effectually prevented from twisting and to provide aready means for shipping and unshipping the rudder and for connectingthe rudder-stock directly at the stern or passing the stock downwardthrough the deck at the stern-section of a boat.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claim.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an enlarged side elevation of the sternsection of a boat anda perspective view of a rudder unshipped therefrom. Fig. 2 is an endview of the rudder applied directly to an end of a boat. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section through the stern portion of the boat shown in Fig. 2and a partial plan and partial horizontal section through the fasteningdevice illustrated in Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a yokeused in connection with a rudder-stock when the rudder is applied to asmall boat.

In carrying out the invention the rudderstock A is provided at its lowerend with a bracing-arm 10, which is projected downwardly and outwardlyfrom the stock, thereby causing the lower end of the stock to be more orless bifurcated, and each lower member of the stock is slotted toreceive the upper portion of the rudder-blade 11, the members of thestock being secured to the said blade by means of bolts or theirequivalents. In this manner the upper portion of the rudder is so bracedand strengthened that the blade will not twist even in a heavy sea.

When the rudder is used in connection with a boat such as a sloop, asshown in Fig. 1, or where the rudder-stock is passed through the deck,the lower rear end of the rudder is attached to the stern of the boat ina pivotal manner by means of a fitting comprising two plates 12 and 13.The plate 13 is provided with a longitudinal opening at the back, and atthe bottom the said plate has a socket 14 formed therein, the platebeing adapted to receive between its members the skeg of the boat and islocated at the extreme lower portion of said skeg. The plate 12 islikewise slotted, preferably from end to end, and receives between itsmembers the forward portion of the rudder-blade 11, as shown in Fig. 1,and the plate 12'is provided with an outwardly-extending offset 15,provided with a downwardly-extending pin 16, the pin being adapted toenter the socket in the skeg-plate 13, whereby the lower portion of therudder has a hinged connection with the stern of the boat and yet may bereadily unshipped when desired.

lVhen the rudder is to be attached to the deck of a fishingskiff, forexample, as shown in Fig. 2, the plate and the stock are of the sameconstruction, and the bearing for the rudder will consist of a clamp B,(shown best in Fig. 3,) the said clamp com prising two bars 23 and 24:,which have a hinged connection at one of their ends, and both plates areprovided with a semicircular recess 25, the recesses being in transversealinement, forming a central bearing in which the rudderstock mayreadily turn. The bar 23 is secured horizontally to the central portionof the stern of the boat and is usually provided with a turn button 26,which is passed through an opening 27 in the opposing bar 24 when thetwo bars are brought together, and by turning the head of the button 26transversely of the opening 27 the members of the clamp will be lockedtogether, and the rudder may be readily unshipped, if desired, and ifthe boat should capsize the rudder will not be lost.

A yoke 28 (shown in Fig. 4) is adapted to be placed upon therudder-stock to be used in connection with a rope-tiller when the rudderis applied to a small boat. It is evident that each and every part ofthe rudder is exceedingly strong, yet of simple construction, and thatany one or all of the parts may be duplicated when occasion shalldemand.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent The combination with a rudder-stock having abracing-arm projected outwardly and downwardly from a side near itslower end, the stock and arm being vertically slotted to receive theupper portion of a rudder-blade,

the lower portion of said blade having pivotal connection with said boatconsisting of two independent plates longitudinally slotted,

one plate being attached to the skeg of a boat, and having a socket, andthe other plate being attached to said rudder-blade and having apivot-pin adapted to enter said socket,

